Lab Dip in Textile:
A lab dip is a swatch of dyed fabric or yarns prepared for color approval. It is a process by which buyer’s supplied swatch or specimen is matched with the varying dyes percentage in the laboratory with or without help of spectrophotometer. Lab dip plays an important role in shade matching and this is an important task before bulk fabric dyeing. Before bulk production of dyeing lab dip approval is taken from the buyer. Lap dip development is an important and essential process in textile industry. This operation is done by lab technician and follows up by merchandiser.
Lab dip submission procedure may vary from one buyer to another. Normally, before to lab dip submission, supplier match the sample color with the given color standard (may be Pantone color code or fabric sample) check in a lightbox to see how colors look under various light settings, like daylight vs. fluorescent store lights (see below image). Normally lab dip swatch is made of 6 inch x 6 inch fabric cuttings. After lab dip approval, the recipe is then sent in dyeing floor for bulk production with the sample.
Fig: Textile light box
There are different matching systems followed in Dyeing Lab. They are:
Tube light matching.
Sun light matching.
Ultra Violet matching.
Sodium light matching (show room).
Objectives of Lab Dip: The main objectives in lab dip in textile industry are as follows:
To calculate the recipe for sample dyeing.
Lab dip development according to a buyer’s required shade or given swatch using available dyes, auxiliaries and fabrics available in the inventory.
To compare dyed sample with swatch by lightbox or Spectrophotometer.
To calculate revise recipe for sample dyeing.
Finally approved Lab Dip (Grade: A, B, C and D)
Generating recipes according to buyer-approved shade with appropriate cost optimization and minimum deviation between lab and bulk dyeing.
Provide the buyer approved recipe to the dyeing section for proceeding to bulk dyeing.
Process Sequence of Lab Dip in Textile: Lab dip plays an important role in textile dyeing process. Lab dip is must essential before dyeing bulk or even small lots of anything. Bulk dyeing process completely depends on the lab dip development work. Lab dip is completely managed as the following sequence.
Lab Dip Requisition from buyer
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Entry in the computer
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First recipe is given by swatch/pantone number
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First correction
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Second correction
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Grading of sample (A, B, C, D)
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Yarn and knit sample send to buyer
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Approved by buyer
↓
Order for bulk production
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Production card with approved sample and recipe send to production section.
Above lab dip operation flow chart is a typical flow chart which is almost same in the entire textile industry. But it may change depending on the lab technicians own procedure.
Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. Mr. Kiron is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.
